"Iron Giant" is based upon the 1968 story,'Iron Man,' by the British poet laureate Ted Hughes. The film is about a giant metal machine that drops from the sky and frightens a small town in Maine in 1958, only to find a… More"Iron Giant" is based upon the 1968 story,'Iron Man,' by the British poet laureate Ted Hughes. The film is about a giant metal machine that drops from the sky and frightens a small town in Maine in 1958, only to find a friend named, Hogarth, that ultimately finds its humanity and saving the towns people of their fears and prejudices.

While youngsters will enjoy the film on one level, it reaches out to adults on a completely different plane. They will see an allegory about power and politics and the danger of allowing either to run roughshod over humanity.

When people call a movie an instant classic, that could either mean they're simply calling it a terrific film or truthfully believe that it'll be a… MoreWhen people call a movie an instant classic, that could either mean they're simply calling it a terrific film or truthfully believe that it'll be a movie people will be looking back on in about 50 years as one of the greats. I can only speak for myself, but The Iron Giant has aged very well and still remains to be one of the best movies of its kind. On top of that, Warner Bros. hasn't really been known for their animation lately, which is sad, due to the fact that they clearly had a home run with this film, at least in terms of quality. No, the box office return wasn't all that great, which surprises me, because they could've easily marketed it in the style of E.T.. That being said, I'm not here to talk about the "what-ifs" surrounding this film, but rather the film itself and how it holds up. If you haven't seen this film yet, here is why it should be a top priority of yours.
From the moment this film begins, you know the type of movie you're in for. If you're looking for a film about a monster destroying cities, then I recommend checking out King Kong or Godzilla. The Iron Giant is as much about emotion as it's about spectacle. Crash landing on Earth, a giant robot befriends young Hogarth, a boy who doesn't seem to have any close relations with people his age. At first being terrified, he comes to fall in love with this giant and they form a very unlikely bond. Nowadays this story seems to have been done many times, but this film was released around the time that it still felt relevant and fresh. Their bond and outlook on life truly make this film as incredible as it is.
There is always a fear with big Hollywood productions, as they can easily be thrown together quickly in order to earn a few bucks at the box office. Whether it's a low or high budget live-action or animated feature, the characters are a huge piece of the puzzle in every case. Sure, Hogarth, his mother, and Dean are all very well-drawn characters, but the secondary characters in the military and the very annoying Kent aren't stupid in the slightest. Never once did I find myself wishing for anyone to be off-screen. There are no dumb decisions, just persistence and choosing to believe certain things. I either genuinely loved characters throughout this film or genuinely loved hating them. These are some very well-done characters.
From its violence message to its pure fun factors, there is a little bit of everything packed into this very short 90 minutes that I believe people of all ages will be able to enjoy forever. Nowadays with films like Transformers, we have non-stop action sequences with very little substance and films with a great story or characters, but fails in its execution or excitement, like Eragon. I know Eragon is a horrible example, but those books have quite a bit of substance for kids and the movie is complete garbage with dated effects. Whether you are an adult who can find yourself tearing up at the emotional dialogue toward the end of the film, or you are a kid who wants to see a giant robot in a movie, The Iron Giant is one of the rare films that can easily please everyone.
In the end, this is a film that has grown on people over the years, as it was never a financially successful movie, but that has almost benefitted the film as a whole. As more and more people either discover this film for the first time or show it to their young kids, a new found love will forever be had with this movie. For what this film set out to accomplish, it's a flat out masterpiece. Sure, comparisons will always relate back to that of E.T., and while the first two acts are similar, the finale couldn't be any different. I personally think this film stands on its own without comparison. The Iron Giant is a fantastic film from beginning to end and I highly recommend it to those who have yet to discover this perfect little gem.

Alex roy

Brilliant animated feature, The Iron Giant is an entertaining ride from start to finish, and a real treat for the eyes. I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and it… MoreBrilliant animated feature, The Iron Giant is an entertaining ride from start to finish, and a real treat for the eyes. I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and it boasts some great animation, effective direction that keeps you entertained with its story, which is pretty simple, and in doing that, we have something quite charming, funny, entertaining and of course memorable. This is a fine piece of animation, a film that really is well done in the way they delivered its ideas, and it is an enthralling, wonderful movie that I recommend to any viewer that enjoys a solid animated feature. The Iron Giant boasts a great cast of varied voice talent, and they brilliantly bring these characters to life. The film isn't your typical animated features such as the computer animated ventures of Pixar, and this one venture more in the cartoon department, but it does it very well that it can appeal to any age group. The film is tailored to anyone that enjoys a fun, entertaining picture that is beautiful to look at and is engaging from start to finish. This is a great movie, one that should be enjoyed by anyone that loves a solid animated feature. The Iron Giant is terrific for what it does, and with its simple ideas, we have a film that accomplishes much more than what we would get than your usual film that overdoes everything in order to grab the viewer's attention. Sometimes all you need is a simple idea, great direction, a well crafted story to make a very good film, and with The Iron Giant, we have such a film.

I watched this for the first time in 13 years just now. Saw it at the cinema originally, and it was truly a sight to behold. It still holds up today and the… MoreI watched this for the first time in 13 years just now. Saw it at the cinema originally, and it was truly a sight to behold. It still holds up today and the animation looks incredibly fresh. The Iron Giant sees a large robot land on Earth in the 50's. A young boy soon makes friends with it, while a government agent investigates the sightings. The robot has forgotten who he is, but trouble arises when his built in defence mechanisms may be a danger to the small town. The Iron Giant is base on the book The Iron Man written by Ted Hughes. A book I remember from primary school. This adaptation has Americanized it, as well as making it more of a space themed Sci-Fi. The book had a battle with a space dragon, something I would have actually liked to see, even if it didn't work. The 50's setting is perfect for this kind of film. It's all about friendship, and being able to make choices no matter how we were raised. The giant is both sympathetic and cute, as well as being dangerous. It's the age old case of violence begets violence. I did find certain moments rushed in the film, as animation is usually short, but most of all I had trouble associating with Kent Mansley. He just goes too haywire towards the end. This is great stuff though, with strong animation, good vocal performances, exciting action sequences, and messages about friendship, peace, and sacrifice.

Eugene Bernabe

Thoughtful, heartfelt and not to mention its wonderful animation. The Iron Giant is a rare animated picture that blends mystery, drama and overall family-fun.… MoreThoughtful, heartfelt and not to mention its wonderful animation. The Iron Giant is a rare animated picture that blends mystery, drama and overall family-fun. The unexpected joy and praise makes this film a timeless achievement for both its director and its voice counterparts. 4.5/5

Matthew Samuel Mirliani

Beautifully animated, well-told, and--in typical Brad Bird fashion--mature, smartly written, and funny, The Iron Giant is an underrated animated masterpiece… MoreBeautifully animated, well-told, and--in typical Brad Bird fashion--mature, smartly written, and funny, The Iron Giant is an underrated animated masterpiece that appeals to both children and adults. Its freshness and charismatic characters foreshadow Bird's eventual direction of Pixar's The Incredibles, while its Cold War-era setting and engaging storyline make it a memorable and emotional cinematic experience that is, truthfully, a hundred times better than any animated film made in the last decade.

Mister Caple

The year 1999 produced an astounding of riches for feature-film animation. While that year's highest grossing animated flick "Toy Story 2"… MoreThe year 1999 produced an astounding of riches for feature-film animation. While that year's highest grossing animated flick "Toy Story 2" carried on the wizardry and rich storytelling of the original,while "South Park:Bigger,Longer,and Uncut" brought the taboo-busting hypocrisy-bashing hilarity of the TV show to the big screen. But the best animated film of the year came from the studios of Warner Brothers. "The Iron Giant" is also the most underrated feature of the 1990's. The feature-film debut of future Pixar fixture Brad Bird(Ratatouille, The Incredibles)has future action star Vin Diesel as the voice of a giant alien robot that lands on Earth and gets befriended by a lonely boy. Notoriously,Warner Brothers dumped this adaption of Ted Hughes' "The Iron Man" into theatres with little push,but a cult following emerged once the smart,stylish,and endlessly entertaining old-school family film found it's audience.

c0up

'The Iron Giant'. An emotionally overpowering, animated marvel from the genius that is Brad Bird.
A lonely boy, an unlikely friendship, life and… More'The Iron Giant'. An emotionally overpowering, animated marvel from the genius that is Brad Bird.
A lonely boy, an unlikely friendship, life and death, set against the fear and paranoia of the Cold War in a small town. None of these are unique, new ideas, but 'The Iron Giant' puts them together in an unbelievably special way.
The scenes in which Hogarth teaches the Giant about humanity are the film's finest moments, and the central theme of "you're not a gun, you are who you choose to be" doesn't come across for a second as heavy-handed; everything gels together so well.
It toys with your emotions perfectly, from the absolute anger you feel towards Kent Mansley to the joy and sorrow that comes from the friendship of Hogarth and the absolutely lovely giant, in what is clearly Vin Diesel's finest role! The sense of impending doom and inevitability throughout the film created a sinking feeling in my stomach that heightened the emotions even further, and boy was it a rollercoaster that I went through.
I was enraged. I was in love. I laughed. I cried.
Oh! And J.J. Abrams' kids screaming "bad robot!" in the production logo of Bad Robot, yeah, that *has* to be inspired by this, where Hogarth screams "bad robot!" when the Giant is wreaking havoc.

Kevin M. Williams

An alien from the skies befriends a young boy and their friendship is the center of this tale about loyalty and family in the face of serious opposition. Most… MoreAn alien from the skies befriends a young boy and their friendship is the center of this tale about loyalty and family in the face of serious opposition. Most everything here is done with a light touch allowing the audience, us, to come to our own conclusions with the exception of the bad guy, a government agent. Its a decent story decently told and worth looking for.

Chris Weber

This was animation maestro Brad Bird's feature length directorial debut, and, I must say, it is easily one of the best example of how to do an intelligent… MoreThis was animation maestro Brad Bird's feature length directorial debut, and, I must say, it is easily one of the best example of how to do an intelligent and thoughtful animated film for kids, and do it very, very well.
Set in a small Maine town in the 1950s, this is the story of Hogarth Hughes- an imaginative 9 year-old who stumbles upon a massive alien robot who crashes lands near his town. Finding himself bonding with this strange, yet fantastical metal behemoth, Hogarth finds that his growing extraterrestrial friendship is tested when pesky government agents come to investigate reports of something potentially dangerous lurking in the area.
Taking cues from E.T. and The Day The Earth Stood Still, this is a magnificent film about friendship, extraordinary circumstances, and tolerance. It's also a very slick and sly satire of 50s culture, with special attention paid to paranoia, McCarthyism, Cold War suspicions, and the sci-fi craze.
Hogarth is a likable kid, and his relationship with the titular character is finely developed. Hogarth's single mom and his friend Dean- a local beatnik artist/junkyard owner are also really good characters, and are more than just one-dimensional cardboard cutouts. The pesky and relentless government investigator is admittedly somewhat less developed compared to the others, but he still comes across as a tad more than a caricature.
As for the voice acting, it's really good. Eli Marienthal is a lot of fun as Hogarth, Jennifer Aniston is surprisingly believable as Hogarth's mom,Harry Connick Jr. is delightful as Dean, and, while it's a case of more typecasting, Christopher McDonald is fun as Kent Manley the government agent. He doesn't have too many lines, but Vin Diesel is also quite good as the Iron Giant, providing an appropriate amount of roboticness, but also managing to bring in some humanity, as the character evolves.
This is a great film for all ages, but especially kids, as it does a wonderful job at addressing some important issues in a clever and creative way. The animation and look are wonderful, the film has a nice mix of humor, heart, and action, and is extremely well paced and balanced. It's quite moving, and I will admit to getting teary at the end, but I feel like it was earned.
My only real gripe is that the film's message, while nice, is perhaps a bit too narrow minded and preachy.
All in all, this is some dynamite stuff. I really wish more entertainment for kids would aspire to the heights of greatness that this film does. Definitely go see it.

Directors Cat

One of the final animated films that felt like it was made by the amazing disney writers. Beautifully drawn and greatly emotional The Iron Giant is… MoreOne of the final animated films that felt like it was made by the amazing disney writers. Beautifully drawn and greatly emotional The Iron Giant is compassionate, charming and an all time classic animated tale of friendship that must and will always be cherished.

Melvin White

Hogarth Hughes: It's bad to kill. Guns kill. And you don't have to be a gun. You are what you choose to be. You choose. Choose.
"It came from… MoreHogarth Hughes: It's bad to kill. Guns kill. And you don't have to be a gun. You are what you choose to be. You choose. Choose.
"It came from outer space!"
I hadn't seen this movie for probably 10 years, but I remembered loving it as a kid. Now I know why I loved it so much. All the feelings I got when I watched it as a young kid came back watching a decade later. Of all the animated films I have seen in my life, this has to be in the top 3. It is such a fun, funny and emotional animated family movie.
The story follows Hogarth, a young kid living in Rockwell, Maine. He is an only child living with his mother and he causes her quite a bit of grief. If he isn't bringing a wild animal home; he is sneaking out at night to go off on an adventure. One night he finds a huge robot and quickly becomes friends with it. But soon a government investigator comes around asking questions about all the weird occurrences that have been going on. So Hogarth, with the help of a young hipster, is forced to hide him.
The film is great homage to 50's sci-fi. The movie makes some references to some of the great sci-fi films of the 50's, such as Forbidden Planet, which Hogarth has a poster of in his room. It also uses the Cold War and Nuclear scares well as a backdrop. I loved the scene where they are showing the instructional video for how to survive a nuclear attack.
This is a movie that is great for both adults and children. It has more than enough entertaining elements to keep the kids quiet for an hour and a half. More importantly, it will probably keep most adults glued to it as well. There's so much there for adults. The plot is set against a backdrop that kids won't understand and it makes fun of some of the stuff that was going on during that time period very well. Also there are many references to things that parents and grandparents will remember from their childhood. This truly defines a family movie.
General Rogard: You realize how much hardware I brought out here? You just blew millions of Uncle Sam's dollars out of your butt!